Electrical devices and components may rely upon electrical and communication couplings between various power sources, communication ports, and signal path connections. It is common for any of these needed connections to have couplings that may be connected and disconnected as needed so as facilitate moving, replacing, and maintaining such electrical devices and components. In its simplest form, such an electrical connection may be a common wall outlet and a common power cord for a toaster that plugs into the wall outlet. Of course, as electrical devices and components become more complex, electrical connections and connectors may also be more complex, often having 20 or more distinct signal connections within a single connection point.
Often, such electrical connections require a more secure connection than what is typically provided with a common wall outlet and the like. For example, an electrical connection deployed in an outdoor environment may require some kind of water-tight or protected connectivity. Further, for an electrical connection that is submerged in water (or any liquid) as may be present on a submergible water craft and the like, may require a liquid-tight connection. Such liquid-tight connectors have been in conventional use for some time as are generally described with respect to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional liquid tight connection includes a male end 12 and a female end 14. As shown in FIG. 1, these two ends are engaged with each other, i.e., coupled. The female end 14 includes a locking ring (sometimes called a coupler) 16 having a multi-grooved exterior for easy gripping when rotating and handling. Additional detail underneath the locking ring 16 is shown in an exploded view within FIG. 1. Within this view, one can see threaded portions 18a and 18b that are formed in both the male 12 and female 14 ends interfacing with each other. Threaded portion 18a corresponds to the exterior of the insertable end of the male end 12. Likewise, threaded portion 18b corresponds to the interior side of the locking ring 16 of the female end 14. Within the female end 14 is a quasi-malleable, e.g., rubber, seal structure 20 which is used to form a seal when properly connected to the male end 12. This seal structure 20 typically features a seal protrusion 22 having a female end sealing surface 23 that is designed to engage the male end 12 and form a liquid-tight seal when properly seated with a male end sealing surface 43. Also within the female end 14 is a non-malleable, e.g., steel, pressing structure 24 having a pressing surface 25.
When engaging the two ends 12 and 14 of the coupling, one typically inserts the male end 12 into the female end 14 and then rotates the locking ring 16 such that the threaded sections 18a and 18b engage each other. As the locking ring 16 rotates, it forces the female end sealing surface 23 and the male end sealing surface 43 toward each other. As rotation of the locking ring 16 is continued, the threaded portions 18a and 18b draw the ends 12 and 14 together until the sealing surfaces 23 and 43 come into contact with each other. At this point, one may apply additional rotational force at the locking ring 16 to more securely engage the sealing surfaces 23 and 43 with a force sufficient to form a liquid-tight seal between the sealing surfaces such that liquid cannot enter an inner chamber 28 of the assembled connector.
However, such a conventional connection as shown in FIG. 1 has drawbacks as it may fail without such a failure being detectable. One particular problem is that the connection may appear to be sufficiently connected such that the sealing surfaces 23 and 43 are fully engaged, but in reality something is preventing the locking ring 16 from fully rotating to a liquid-tight sealed position. For example, rust or other debris on the threaded portions 18a or 18b may hinder the rotation of the locking ring 16 and cause it to feel “tight” even when the sealing surfaces 23 and 43 are not sufficiently seated against each other to form a proper liquid-tight seal. A similar problem may be caused when the threaded portions 18a of the locking ring 16 and the corresponding threaded portion 18b of the male end 12 are cross threaded such that, again, the sealing surfaces 23 and 43 are not sufficiently seated against each other to form a proper liquid-tight seal.
Therefore, what is needed is a more discernable indication that the male end 12 and the female end 14 of connection is seated properly such that the connection is, in fact, liquid-tight and properly sealed.